[Eric A. Taylor (OP)]

This has nothing to do with science but I've wondered why the English abbreviate "Prime Minister" as "M.P."

[AllenG]

M.P. means, Member of Parliament, not Prime Minister.

[Eric A. Taylor (OP)]

Thank you for enlightening this ignorant Yankee. Does "M.P." apply to any member of Parliament or only to the Prime Minister?

Here's another. Why did NATO name a Soviet class of submarine "Yankee". Probably simply to annoy the Soviets.

[BenV]

Any member is called an MP, and MEPs are members of the European Parliament.

[Don_1]

The Prime Minister is the PM and he is an MP. All those who are elected to the House of Commons, whether government or opposition, are MP's.

PM = Prime Minister or Poxy Moron.
MP = Member of Parliament or Moneygrabbing Ponce.

[LeeE]

Here's another. Why did NATO name a Soviet class of submarine "Yankee". Probably simply to annoy the Soviets.

The NATO naming scheme for USSR submarines used the NATO phonetic alphabet.  Hence there are/were also Aplha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta... classes as well.